National Book Award finalists announced: Where's Franzen?

The day after the Man Booker Prize was handed out, the nominations for the National Book Award have been announced. The fiction shortlist comprises Peter Carey’s Parrot and Olivier in America, Nicole Krauss’ Great House, Lionel Shriver’s So Much for That, Jaimy Gordon’s Lord of Misrule, and Karen Tei Yamashita’s I Hotel. The Australian-born Carey has previously won the Man Booker and his latest novel was also a finalist for that prize, but it also qualifies for the National Book Award because the author also has U.S. citizenship. However, the most notable aspect of this list is an absence: Jonathan Franzen’s best-selling, critically acclaimed Freedom is nowhere to be seen. This is especially notable since his previous novel, The Corrections, won the award nine years ago.

Patti Smith’s searing memoir Just Kids made it among the finalists for nonfiction, keeping company with previous National Book Award winner John W. Dower’s Cultures of War, among others. Here is the full list of finalists:

Fiction
Peter Carey, Parrot and Olivier in AmericaNicole Krauss, Great HouseLionel Shriver, So Much for ThatJaimy Gordon, Lord of MisruleKaren Tei Yamashita, I Hotel

Nonfiction
Barbara Demick, Nothing to EnvyMegan K. Stack, Every Man in This Village Is a LiarPatti Smith, Just KidsJohn W. Dower, Culures of WarJustin Spring, Secret Historian

Poetry
Kathleen Graber, The Eternal City
Terrance Hayes, Lighthead
James Richardson, By the Numbers
C.D. Wright, One with Others
Monica Youn, Ignatz